Cutting mechanism



March zo, 1934. i

H. L.. wlTTsTElN 1,952,033

CUTTING MEcHANIsM Filed June 3. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l "I l /l/ /15 7 ATTORNEY March 20, 1934. H. L. wrrTsTElN CUTTING MECHANISM Filed June 3. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 *ya mor Patented Mar. 2Q, 1934 Vto l Conn., a corpora 1,952,033 CUTTING MscrniNIsivr Herman L. Wittstein, New Haven, Conn., assignor The Atlas-mischia Company,

tion of Connecticut New Haven,

- Application .lune 3, 1932, Serial No. 615,259

3 Claims. '(Cl. :i1-23) This invention relates mechanisms and is more particularly improvements in cutting devices that type wherein twc rela generally to cutting directed to or apparatus of tively movable mem- 5 bers are employed, one serving as a support for a more or less plastic mass ting operation is to be'performed, while embodying suitable cutting to be manually actuated to which the cutthe other, elements, is adapted eiectthe division of upon the supported massvinto sections of pre-determined shapes and sizes or stance, in sub-dividing a dimensions, as, for inbrick or slab of butter,

manifest, has a wide range of reducing or separating of utility, as a means a mass of plastic or other material into .a series of uniform sections or other sub-divisions, for closure I have elected the purpose of this disto direct the description,

more 01 less, to itsapplication to a specific purpose, as in cutting a slab or brick of butter into appropriately dimensioned sections, as desired,

for table or individualnse or service.

As isi well known, butter prepared in as now marketed is quarter sections or in squares for table use, in one-pound packages also, in one-pound bricks or cakes which smaller pieces for table or si thepurchaser must cut into milar use, the factory cut or so-called print product being' usually priced considerably higher than butter of the same quality dispensed in the standard one-pound slab or brick.

' Therefore, in order to effect the saving of the price differential between the prepared or cut butter and the pound brick or mass, various types ofv appliances have' been made available to the housewife and others for cutting or dividing the slab or brick longitudinally and transversely to produce a series of oblong pieces or slices which,

however, must be subsequently cut in half with a knife or other implement if Obviously, time-consuming labor cannot be readily accomfor the table are desired. cutting Operation involves and, in many instances,

the usual squares this knifeplished so that such advantages as may flow from the use of the machines now extant are substantially completely offset thereby. Of course, in

some case one may produce the requisite squares of butter from the solid mass or cake, by the use of a machine of the prior art, by iirst dividing the brick or mass into two by a knife-cutting process, satisfactory, apart from Further, with existing mec equal parts or halves which at best is unthe Ylabor involved. hanisms, in order to produce theY aforementioned slices, .for subsequent subdivision into squares by hand-cutting, itis necessary to initially subject the entire cake or slab of butter to subdivision, which frequently results in waste, since the portion not required for immediate use when stored in the relatively thin slices into which it has been sub-divided, deteriorates more rapidiy than it would in slabs or larger sections as quarters or halves.

From the foregoing, it will be evident that there is not now available a cutting appliance or mechanism of the general type referred to, which is capable of being employed in such a manner that the aforesaid additional and objectionable hand-cutting operations'may be eliminated, or 70 whereby the slab or brick of butter may be conveniently divided into major portions or sections which may be subsequently cut into squares for individual use as required, and the primary object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a simple and economical cutting machine or apparatus which will obviate the enumerated and other disadvantages that are inherent to present apparatus, or reside in their use, in a practical and efficient manner. Y

More specically, it is an object of this invention to provide a cutting machine or apparatus of the so-called portable type, that is particularly designed to' meet the requirements of household use and'will permit the housewife to effect those 85 economies'which ilow from the purchasing of butter in 'bricks or slabs, and at the same time serve the butter in the desirable squares for individual or table use, without resorting to the objectionable and 'frequently laborious supple- 90 mental Yhand-cutting operations that are now necessary.

Further, it is an object of this invention to provide a cutting machine or appliance possessing the characteristics referred to, which may be readily manipulated to perform a pre-selected cutting operation, the cooperation of the components of my appliance or machine to effect such pre-selected cutting operation being obtained by a single continuing movement, producing a clean line of cleavage between the separated parts of the material that has been subjected to severance.

Another object of my invention is to eliminate that waste which results from the necessity of sub-dividing an entire cake or brick of plastic material, as butter, into a series of relatively thin or small sections, as in present'apparatus, my invention embodying means whereby the material may be expeditiously and efficiently cut into half or quarter sections which, at a subsequent time, may be sub-divided to produce a series of approximately square cakes each of an area corresponding to the cross-sectional area of a quarter section of the brick or mass.

Other objects and advantages flowing from the practicing of my invention will doubtless become apparent as the description proceeds, and I would have it clearly understood that I reserve unto myself all rights to the full range of equivalents both in structure and in use, to which I may be entitled under my invention in its broadest aspect.

For the purposes of the present disclosure, I have elected to show a preferred form of structure for attaining the objects hereinbefore set forth, in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a top plan View of the base member of my improved cutting appliance or mechanism.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, showing a fragment of the cutting member associated therewith.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the cutting member.

Figure 4 is an end elevation of my appliance, showing the relative positions of the supporting and cutting members as assembled for producing a longitudinal cut or line of cleavage through the brick or slab of plastic material, as depicted in position upon the base member.

Figure 5 is a View in perspective of my machine or appliance with the components in positions illustrated. in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the part of the cutting member showing the means for supporting and retaining in tension the transversely disposed cutting elements.

Figure 7 is a sectional View on the line 7 7 of Figure 5, and

Figure 8 is a perspective of a brick or slab of butter having indicated thereon the various lines of cleavage therethrough which may be produced at will by the use of my machine or appliance.

Referring now to the drawings in detail in which like characters of reference are employed to designate similar parts in the several views, 7 indicates the top surface of the base member of my machine or appliance, which may be produced in sheet or cast metal or other suitable material, preferably in the yconfiguration shown, the said base including any appropriate supporting means as the inclined wall or dependent peripheral flange 8 and a plurality of sockets 9 and 10 to receive the posts 11 and 12, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described.

As will be clearly seen from Figure 2 of the drawings, the top surface of the base 7, intermediate of the ends thereof, is stepped up or otherwise raised above the horizontal plane of the remainder of the surface to form an oblong table or bed 13 having its longer sides equi-distantly spaced from the side edges of the base, which is adapted to function as a support for the material that is to be subjected to the cutting operation, the said table or bed being provided with a longitudinal groove or'undercut 14 disposed centrally thereof and a series of intersecting transverse grooves 15 in parallel, the purpose of which will be hereinafter explained.

The cutting member comprises a plate 16 of any suitable material which may be of the shape shown, or any other appropriate configuration and preferably embodies tensions 17 at each end to provide hand or finger grips for actuating said member relatively to the base of the appliance as hereinafter described, the said cutting member having two integrally formed eX- parallel oblong cutouts, the dimensions of each of which correspond approximately to the length and width of the bed 13 of the base member 7. The oblong opening 18 in said cutting member is spanned longitudinally by a cutting element which may be a wire 19 bisecting the opening and fixed to the pins 19a or other suitable securing meda, integral with or connectible to the plate 16, beyond each end of the opening, for maintaining said wire taut or under the degree of tension that is essential to attain the greatest efciency in th-e performance of its intended function.

Similarly to the opening 18, the companion or second oblong opening 20 in said plate 16 is spanned longitudinally by a medially positioned wire or cutting element 2l fastened at each end to the pins or the like 22 and, in addition, is bridged transversely by a series of cutting elements 23 disposed in equi-distantly spaced lateral relation, these latter cutting elements, in the present showing, being provided by utilizing a single length or strand of wire fixed at one end to the pin 22a, which is threaded back and forth across said oblong opening in engagement with the integrally formed dependent lugs 24 and 25 arranged in staggered relation along the opposite sides thereof, the other end of said wire being anchored to the pin 23h.

As'will lbe noted from Figures 5 and 6, the respective sets of lugs 24 and 25 in the present embodiment, are formed by producing incisions along the edges of the opening 20 spaced to correspond to the intervals to be provided between the transverse cutting elements, and folding or turning the metal back upon itself to form channels or Wire-receiving seats as indicated at 24b and 25h. Obviously, these lugs may take other shapes, or a series of pins or other devices may be utilized for maintaining the opening-spanning sections of the wire in properly spaced relationship, it also being apparent that, in lieu of the continuous piece or length of wire whereby the series of transverse cutting elements are formed in the present showing, the respective elements may be independent of each other and may be of wire or sheet metal or other suitable material, the same being true with respect to the longitudinally disposed cutting elements 19 and 21, heretofore described.

Adjacent each end, it will be noted, that the plate 16 is provided with a series of transversely aligned apertures 26, 27 and 28, the intermediate openings 27 of each row being centered on the longitudinal axis of said plate While the respective sets of openings 26 and 28 on either side thereof are longitudinally aligned adjacent the opposite edges of the plate and contiguous to the outer defining lines of the respective oblong openings 18 and 20, said apertures 26, 27 and 28 being of a diameter to register with and ride freely upon the posts 11 and 12 when the latter are mounted in their supporting sockets 10 as heretofore described. From this it will be apparent that the said posts 1l and 12 are adapted' to function as guides for locating the cutting member relative to the base and as bearing surfaces upon which the cutting member may be reciprocated in a vertical plane when associated therewith.

From the description thus far given, it will be manifest that the cutting member of my machine or appliance may be utilized to produce a single line of cleavage 'through the material which is being operated upon, by the functionmay be subjected to positioning it upon ing of the cutting element 19, or to sub-divide the material on intersecting longitudinal Aand transverse lines of-cleavage intoV a series or plurality of oblong slices or squares, depending upon whether this latter operation is an initial one, or is effected subsequent to the sub-division of the material longitudinally, as by passing the cutting element 19 therethrough.

Assuming that it is desired to employ my invention for cutting butter, the brick or slab which is generally of a uniform width and height and of a standard length with a base area corresponding approximately to that of the bed or table 13is placed in registration with the latter, the posts 11 and 12, of course, having been previously inserted in their respective sockets in the base '7. The brick may now be cut in half by aligning the apertures 26 and 2'7 of the cutting member 16 respectively with the posts 11 and 12 which, as will be apparent, will locate the oblong cut-out 18 spanned by the longitudinal cutting element 19 in position, to permit the said cutting element to pass through the butter from top to bottom thereof as the cutting member is depressed in bearing engagement with the aforesaid guideposts 11 and 12, the wire cutting element 19 on the completion of the cutting operation along the line a-a. of Figure 8 clearing the base of the brick as it enters the longitudinal groove or cutout 14 so as to produce a clean line of cleavage. Each half section that has been formed by this initial cutting operation, if desired, may be subjected to a similar cutting operation on the line b-b so as to provide four quarter sections of the brick, or one of the halves may be cut into squares by utilizing the cutting elements associated with the opening 20 of the cutting member. In the performance of this latter operation the half section of the butterbrick is positioned in registraton with the table or bed 13 and the apertures 2'7 aligned with the pins l1 while the apertures 28 thereof engage with the pins 12. Thus when the plate 16 is depressed, the longitudinal and transverse cutting elements, 21 and 23, will pass through the half section of butter, producing a series of squares, each of a thickness corresponding to the distance between the parallel cutting elements 23, the longitudinal cutting element 22 and the transverse elements 23, respectively, finding seats in the correspondingly disposed grooves 14 and 15, as the longitudinal and transverse lines of cleavage, indicated respectively at a-b and c-d, in Figure 8, are completed. Obviously, as in the prior art structures, the entire brick a cutting operation to produce oblong slices which may be thereafter divided into squares by hand or machine cutting operation, this being accomplished by initially applying the cutting elements spanning the opening 20 to the work. However, as previously pointed out, this operation is not desirable and by providing for the subdivision of the brick into half or quarter sections, as herein described, is rendered entirely unnecessary. Thus that waste which results from the necessity of sub-dividing the entire brick into small sections, where only a portion thereof is required for immediate use, as in existing devices, is entirely eliminated, it being possible by the use of my appliance to subdivide a half section or a quarter section of the slab or brick of butter, retaining the remaining half or quarter sections intact for storing for future use. Obviously, a quarter section may be expeditiously cut into the appropriate squares by the receiving table or bed 13 and `aligning the cutting member openingj 20 therewith, in the manner previously set forth so that the portionsof the transverse cutting elements -23 between the longitudinal cutter 21 and one of the sides of said opening 2() will pass therethrough, the opening 20 and its counterpart 18 being of a sufficient length and width to provide `the necessary clearances for the per'- formance Yof any of the cutting operations in which they function, cleanly and expeditiously.

While, as hereinbefore stated, I have described my invention in conjunction with a particular application, it will be evident that it may be used with the same satisfactory and efncient results in cutting cheese, ice cream and other plastic materials; also in slicing cake, bread, and other products used for various purposes, the structures shown being subject to such changes or modifications in detail and arrangements of parts as may be essential for the performance of a specific function, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined by the appended claims. For example, in lieu of the separable or detachable posts 11 and 12, any appropriate means for guiding the cutting member in the pre-selected cutting operation which may be performed thereby may be employed, may be detachably or movably connected'to the base or permanently fixed thereto or to the cutting member. Likewise, the form of the cutting and base members respectively may be other than that shown and described in attaining the objectives to which this invention is directed, as hereinbefore set forth.

I claim:

1. A cutting machine having a base including a material receiving table, and a single actuable member, kembodying a plurality of cutting mechanisms, each of the latter being adapted to subdivide a mass of material superposed upon said table, the number of subdivisions produced by each mechanism, being predetermined by the relative disposition of the cutting elements thereof, and means for connecting said actuatable member to said base for relative sliding movement, said means including bearing surfaces on said base, and devices formed for selective association therewith to aline one or the other of said cutting mechanisms with said table to perform one of two pre-determinable cutting operations, certain of said devices being active in the performance of both operations, Y

2. A portable cutting machine, comprising a base having a centrally located oblong platform to receive material to be operated upon, a cutting member embodying a plate provided with a pair of parallel oblong openings, one thereof being longitudinally spanned by a cutting element, the other being bridged longitudinally and transversely by cutting elements, a plurality of bearing surfaces perpendicularly supported from said base and a series of apertures located at each end of said plate engageable with said bearing surfaces, certain of said apertures being preselectably engageable with said bearing surfaces to aline one or the other of said oblong openings with said platform for the performance of the cutting operation, pre-determined by such alinement.

3. A portable cutting machine, comprising a base having a centrally located rectangular platform to receive material to be cut, an actuatable member embodying a plate provided with a pair of laterally spaced rectangular openings each of an area co-extensive with that of said platform,

los

openings with said platform and permit of the actuation of said member relative to said base for the performance of the preselected cutting operation, certain of said apertures cooperating with said surfaces in the alinement of `either of said openings with said platform.

HERMAN L. WITTSTEIN. 

